Is refilling ink cartridges the right choice for you? Refilling cartridges has its advantages and disadvantages depending on where and how it is done. There are several options to consider before making the decision to refill cartridges. The point is, of course, to obtain the best deal, without having to spend so much time on the project as to negate the savings through your own manual labor. That is the tricky part, but knowing what type of kit to buy and how to fill your cartridges can make all the difference.

There are two main types of ink compositions from long-lasting pigmented inks like ChromaLife 100+, DURABrite Ultra pigments, Vivera Inks, and UltraChrome inks, to bolder dye-based concoctions found in most inkjet printers today. The pigmented inks are made up to tiny encapsulated particles that sit on top of a substrate instead of absorbing or sinking into the page like dye-based inks. This helps with placement and overall resistance for printouts that have finer line detail and last longer without fading. However, due to the rather complex chemical formulation, pigment based inks are not refillable (for the time being). So inevitably, ink refill kits are going to be dye-based mixtures in three colors and one shade.

Luckily most refill kits are sold specifically for certain printer models or by the number found on the original cartridge. The color refill kits contain a cyan (blue), magenta (red / pink), and yellow ink bottle each with an accompanying syringe or plunger to transport the liquid from the bottle to the cartridge. The black ink refill kits also contain a bottle or two with accompanying syringes and / or plungers to help streamline the process. When filling a cartridge at home or by yourself, make sure to watch instructional videos or thoroughly read the instructions provided with the purchased refill kit.

Each kit has some similar steps such as working over paper towels and placing or peeling back a guide sticker to direct the insertion of the syringe or plunger, but they all vary slightly. The instructions will provide helpful tips to prevent the cartridges from overflowing or being pierced in an incorrect spot which can lead to leaking. Once a cartridge has been filled, the instructions will most likely suggest letting the cartridge sit for a moment, before doing a final wipe clean and inserting the piece into your machine, to allow any excess ink to drip out.

Taking a cartridge to major store chains such as Costco, Walgreens, and Office Max to be refilled may seem like an easy alternative to refilling the cartridge yourself but beware. The employees have no formal training in office supplies or how ink cartridges work. They are simply minimum wage workers with no prior experience refilling ink or toner. And frequently, customers end up with messy components that leak after taking them to be refilled at the chain corporations.

Before ordering a refill kit, be sure to check out the directions or steps associated with the particular kit. This will help you get an approximate understanding of how much time the entire process will take. If the steps are only going to save you a couple dollars but take an hour to complete, the refill kit may not be the way to go. However, if you have a chance to save tens of dollars and the steps do not seem cumbersome or time consuming, the Refill Kit can be the most advantageous. The Refill Kits provide enough liquid to fill the cartridges multiple times (around 4 to 8 times each) which can significantly reduce the cost to operate your printing machine.

The Final, and perhaps easiest way to obtain a refilled cartridge is to simply buy a Remanufactured ink cartridge. Remanufactured Ink Cartridges are simply refilled cartridges that have been returned or recycled to the vendor. The difference between filling an ink cartridge yourself and having the factory do it, is the testing steps. At the factory, all the cartridges have been cleaned and inspected before and after being refilled to ensure defective products do not get shipped out. They also have the volume to simply throw out or disregard any cartridges that can lead to potential issues.